Four ways to improve your gut health

Four ways to improve your gut health

If you had asked me 10 years ago what the worst part of getting older was, it would have been along the lines of grey hair/wrinkles/age spots. How little I knew.

The real downside to getting older is something that gets way less air time, and that's the fact that after a certain age, your stomach starts to turn on you.

It feels like once you turn 30, your body stops being a wonderland and starts to become a ticking time bomb to one of the following: gluten. Dairy. Fried foods.

Suddenly you have to plan your outfits less around what event you're going to, and instead start working with whatever level of bloat your stomach is bringing to the table. Well, it doesn't have to be like this.

Becoming aware of how your stomach feels can be the hidden secret to a) howyour stomachlooks but also b) how your entire body feels.

As a very wise man once said: All disease begins in the gut. That man was Hippocrates, and you know he was wise because a) he wore a toga and b) he had a doctor's oath named after him. He may have been born a few hundred years before #cleaneating instagram posts became a thing, but he knew what he was talking about.

Skin problems, breakouts, acid stomach, mood, immunity, and yes,the dreaded bloat, your gut is often the Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a lot of body issues.

So how do you keep it healthy? Start off by paying attention to what you put into your body and how it reacts.

Your gut is the least subtle part of your body, and if it doesn't like something, it's going to let you know. Just ask me after I've accidentally eaten a sandwich.

Four ways to keep your gut health

1. Increase your amount of good bacteria

To get things off to a great start, look for yoghurt that includes live active cultures – like a delicious Greek yoghurt – and include it in your breakfast.

2. Find some fermentation

Try sauerkraut, kombucha, keffir, or miso paste, and eat or cook with it regularly to build good gut flora.

3. Switch to sourdough

Think you're looking at a carb-less future? We'd never do that to you. Sourdough bread is made with a lactic acid starter which makes it good for your gut!

4. GO Healthy Probiotic 75 Billion

The easiest way to eat 75 billion live organisms (that's a lot of yoghurt, otherwise)! This supplement is your one-stop shop to supporting and maintaining your gut health.

Proudly Made byGO Healthyin New Zealand From Select Imported Ingredients. Always read the label and use as directed. Supplementary to a balanced diet. GO Healthy, Wellington. Available exclusively in pharmacies and health stores.